Well casing support and packing device



2 Sfieets-Sheet 1 lNVENTO/Z W AE Q ATTORNEYS I M. c. DAVIS WELL CASING SUPPORT AND PACKING DEVICE April 7, 1959 Filed Dec. 15, 1957 MELV/ April 7, 1959 M. c. DAVIS WELL CASING SUPPORT AND PACKING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Dec. 13, 1957 INVENTOR MEL w/v c. 0.4 ws

BY 8 ATTORNEYS United States Patent WELL CASING SUPPORT AND PACKING DEVICE Melvin (3. Davis, Denver, Colo. Application December 13, 1957, Serial No. 702,671 8 Claims. (Cl. 166-138) This invention relates to well equipment and more particularly to a device for supporting a casing in a well and for providing a seal between the casing and the casing head of the well.

Heretofore numerous well casing supports and packing devices have been proposed and utilized, but in many instances, the supporting function was entirely independent of the packing or scaling function and, in most cases, the seal ,was provided by manually manipulating the device to compress and expand a packing member into engagement with the casing and the internal surface of the casing head. With these manually operated devices it was frequently difiicult to obtain a suitable fluid tight seal between the casing and the casing head and furthermore, the operation of these devices was time consuming and not entirely satisfactory.

As is well known, the fluid pressure within a well of the type under consideration is usually in proportion to the depth of such well and consequently, the deeper the well, the more difficult it is to provide a proper seal between the well casing and the casing head. Accordingly, in the instant invention, it is proposed to utilize the weight of the well casing to actuate the packing device to provide a seal between the casing and the casing head which will be sufiiciently tight to seal against any well pressures normally encountered in a well of this type.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a well casing support and packing device which may be conveniently and economically constructed from readily available material and which may be utilized to suspend or support a casing in a well and, at the same time, provide a seal between such casing and the casing head of the well in order to prevent leakage of fluid pressure from within the well.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a well casing support and packing device which may be utilized to support a casing in a well and provide a fluid pressure seal between such casing and the casing head of the well, such device automatically engaging the casing to support the same and at the same time, expanding a packing into engagement with the casing and said casing head thereby sealing such well against fluid pressure leakage.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a well casing support and packing device which may be conveniently applied to a casing and which will automatically operate to provide a fluid pressure seal and support at any point along the length of such casing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a well casing support and packing device in which a packing ring is provided to be expanded into engagement with the exterior surface of the casing and the interior surface of the well casing head and in which such expansion is provided by the weight of the casing supported in the well.

A further object ofthe invention is the provision of a well casing support and packing device in which the 2,880,806 Patented Apr. 7, 1959 -2 only manual operation required is the application of the device to the casing, the supporting function and the packing or sealing function thereafter being entirely automatic.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a well casing support and packing device in which the packing or scaling function is provided by the weight of the casing supported in the well and in which the gripping force for supporting the casing is proportional to the weight of such casing. 7

Another object of the invention is the provision ofa well casing support and packing device in which downward movement of the packing device and well casing within the casing head first operates to expand a sealing ring into engagement with the external surface of the casing and the internal surfaceof the casing head, further downward movement of the casing operating to move gripping slips into firm biting engagement with the exterior surface of the casingin'order to support the same in the casing head.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and with parts broken away for greater clarity;

Fig. 2, a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary sectional view showing the relationship of the parts prior to expansion of the packing ring into sealing engagement with the exteriorsurface of the well casing and the interior surface ofthe casing head;

Fig. 4, a sectional view, similar to Fig. l, but showing the packing ring expanded into sealing engagement with the exterior surface of the well casing and the interior surface of the casing head and with the casing engaging supporting slips in biting engagement with the exterior surface of the well casing; and

Fig. 5, a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in the relative positions occupied with the packing ring expanded into engagement with the exterior surface of the well casing and the interior surface of the casing head to provide a fluid tight seal.

With continued reference to the drawings, there is shown a more or less conventional well casing head 10 which may be provided with an upper flange 11 having a packing receiving groove 12 in the upper surface thereof for facilitating attachment of the head 10 to associated equipment. The casing head 10 may also be provided with threaded apertures 13 and 14 for conveniently attaching conduits thereto. The upper interior surface 15 of the head 10 is substantially cylindrical and such surface terminates at the lower end in an inwardly tapered surface 16 below which the surface 17 is substantially cylindrical and of less diameter than the upper surface 15. The purpose of the tapered surface 16 will be presently described.

The well casing support and packing device of this invention may well comprise a slip bowl 18 composed of four arcuate segments 19 and since all of such segments are substantially identical, only one will be described in detail. Each segment 19 is provided with an upper cylindrical portion 20, a lower cylindrical portion 21 of reduced diameter and a tapered outer surface 22 connecting the upper portion 20 and the lower portion 21. The tapered surface 22 is complementary to the tapered seating surface 16 on the interior wall of the casing head 10.

Each segment 19 is provided with a plurality of axially spaced downwardly and inwardly inclined internal surfaces and a plurality of. easing engaging and supporting segmental slips 24. each ha in a. plurality of x a y spaced downwardly and inwardly inclined external surfaces 25 slidably engaging the internal surfaces 23 to move the slips 2,4 inwardly upon downward movement thereof relative to the bowl 18. Each of the slips 24 is provided. witha serrated internal casing engaging surface 26, which as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6, will bite into the external surface-27 of the well casing 28.

Each. bowl. segment 19 is provided with an axially disposed groove 29 in the outer surface thereof and as clearly'shown in Fig. 1, the groove 29 extends the entire length of the upper portion 20 through the tapered outer surface 22 and terminates inthe lower portion 21 intermediate the lengthzthereof. A plunger 30 is slidably disposed in each groove 29 and is movable from a lower position asshownin Fig. 1, to an upper position as shown in Fig. 4, for a purpose to bepresently described. Each plunger 30 is provided with a tapered exterior surface 31 which is disposed outwardly of the lower portion 21 of the segments 19 whenthe plungers 30 are in lower position and which coincides with the tapered outer surface 22 when the plungers 30 are in upper position.

An annular packing compression ring 32 is disposed above the bowl 18 and the compression ring 32 is secured to theupperendsof the plungers 30 by screwthreaded or other suitable fastening means 33. The upper surface 34 of the compression ring 32 may be curved for a purpose which will presently appear. Disposed above the compression ring 32 is an annular compressible packing ring'35 which may be formed by any'suitable material to provide a sealing engagement with the outer surface 27 of the well casing 28 and the inner surface 15 of the casing head to withstand the pressures present in the well.

A packing abutment ring 36 is disposed above the packing ring 35 and a screw threaded fastening means or the like 37 may extend through the abutment ring 36, the packing ring- 35, the compression ring 32 and be threadedly received in the segments 19 of the slip bowl 18 in order to secure the abutment ring36 to the bowl 18. The lower surface 38 ofthe abutment ring 36 may be curved in a direction opposite to the curvature of the upper surface 34 of the compression ring 32. These provide two opposed convex surfaces engaging the packing ring 35 and consequently movement of the compression ring 32 toward the abutment ring 36 or the abutment ring toward the compression ring 32 will result in compressing and expanding the packing ring 35 into engagement with the exterior surface 27 of the well casing 28 and the interior surface of the casing head 10.

In operation and with the casing support and packing device applied to the well casing 28,'theassembly is lowered into the well with the packing device moving into the casing head 10 and upon the tapered surfaces 31 of the plungers engaging the tapered surface 16 on the casinghead 10, further downward movement of the plungers 30 and the compression ring 32 will be prevented and will operate to hold the packing ring and the compresison ring- 32 at a fixed location. Further downward movement will bring the tapered exterior surface 22 of the slipbowl 18 into engagement with the seating surface '16 of the casing head 10 thereby preventing further downward movement of the segments 19 forming the slip bowl 18. This downward movement will, through the fastening means 37 move the abutment ring 36 downwardly to compress and expand the packing ring 35 into engagement with the exterior surface 27 of the casing 28 and the interior surface 15 of the casing head 10 thereby providing a fluid tight seal between the well casing28 and the casing head 10. Further downward movement of thewell casing28 will result in moving the slips24 downwardly and as a result of the engagement of tapered surfaces 23 and 25, the slips 24 will move inwardly to cause the serrated surface 26 tobite into the exterior surface 27 of the casing 28 with sufficient force to support the entire weight ofcasing 28, this 4 supporting force, of course, being proportional to the weight of the casing 28 since the'downward movement and inward movement of the slips 24 will depend upon the weight of the casing 28.

It will be seen that by the above described invention there has been provided a relatively simple, yet highly eflicient well casing support and packing device and one which is entirely automatic in operation to provide a fluid tight seal between the well casing and the casing head and at the same time, grip the casing in proportion to the weight thereof to support the same in the well.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A well casing support and packing device comprising a slip bowl composed of four arcuate segments, said segments providing an upper cylindrical portion, a lower cylindrical portion of reduced diameter and a tapered outer surface'connecting said upper portion and Said lower portion, said tapered surface being complementary to a tapered seating surface on a well casing head to supportsaid bowl in said head, a plurality of axially spaced downwardly and inwardly inclined internal surfaces on said segments, a plurality of casing engaging and supporting segmental slips disposed in said bowl, each slip having a plurality of axially spaced downwardly and inwardly inclined externalsurfaces slidably engaging said internal surfaces to move said, slips inwardly upon downward movement of said slips relative to said bowl and serrated internal casing engaging surfaces on said slips, an axially disposed groove in the outer surface of each bowl segment, said groove extending through said upper portion, said tapered-outer-surface and terminating in said lower portion intermediate the length thereof, a plunger slidably disposed in each groove, a tapered exterior surface on each plunger disposed outwardly of said lower portion when said plungers are in lower position and coinciding with said tapered outer surface when said plungers are in upper position, an annular packing compression ring disposed above said bowl and secured to the upper ends of said plungers for movement therewith, an annular compressible packing ring disposed above said compression ring, a packing abutment ring disposed above saidv compressible packing ring and fastening means slidably received in apertures in said compressible packing ring and said compression ring and securing said abutment ring to said bowl, whereby with said device received on a well casing and upon downward movement of said casing, the tapered exterior surfaces on said plungers will engagethetapered seating surface on said headtohold sa id 'compression ring and said compressible packing ring against further downward movement, said abutmentring will move downwardly to compress said compressible packingv ring into sealing engagement with said casing, said tapered outer surface will move into engagement with said tapered seating surface and saidslips will move downwardly and inwardly to grip said casing and support the same in said head.

2. A well casing support and packing device comprising a slip bowl composed of a plurality of arcuate segments, said segments providing an upper-cylindrical portion, a lower cylindrical. portion of reduced diameter and a tapered outer surface connecting said upper portion and said lower portion, said tapered surfacebeing complementary to a tapered seating surface on a well casing head to support said bowl in said head, a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined internal surfaces on said segments, a plurality of casing engaging and supporting segrnental slips disposed in said bowl, each slip having a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined external surfaces slidably engaging said internal surfaces to move said slips inwardly upon downward movement of said slips relative vto said bowl and serrated internal casing engaging surfaces on said slips, an axially disposed groove in the outer surface of each bowlsegment, said groove extending through said upper portion, said tapered outer surface and terminating in said lower portion intermediate the length thereof, a plunger slidably disposed in each groove, a tapered exterior surface on each plunger disposed outwardly of said lower portion when" said plungers are in lower position and coinciding with said tapered outer surface when said plungers are in upper position, an annular packing compression ring disposed above said bowl and secured to the upper ends of said plungers for movement therewith, an annular compressible packing ring disposed above said compression ring, a packing abutment ring disposed above said compressible packing ring and fastening means slidably received in apertures in said compressible packing ring and said compression ring and securing said abutment ring to said bowl, whereby with said device received on avwell casing and upon downward movement of said casing, the tapered exterior surfaces on said plungers will engage the tapered seating surface on said head to hold said compression ring and said compressible packing ring against further downward movement, said abutment ring will move downwardly to compress said compressible packing ring into sealing engagement with said casing, said tapered outer surface will move into engagement with said tapered seating surface and said slips will move downwardly and inwardly to grip said casing and support the same in said head. I

3. A well casing support and packing device comprising a slip bowl composed of a plurality of arcuate segments, said segments providing an upper cylindrical portion, a lower cylindrical portion of reduced diameter and a tapered outer surface connecting said upper portion and said lower portion, said tapered surface being complementary to a tapered seating surface on a well casing head to support said bowl in said head, a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined internal surfaces on said segments, a plurality of easing engaging and supporting segmental slips disposed in said bowl, each slip having a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined external surfaces slidably engaging said internal surfaces to move said slips inwardly upon downward movement of said slips relative to said bowl and serrated internal casing engaging surfaces on said slips, an axially disposed groove in the outer surface of each bowl segment, said groove extending ,-through said upper portion, said tapered outer surface and into said lower portion, a plunger slidably disposed in each groove, a tapered exterior surface on each plunger disposed outwardly of said lower portion when said plungers are in lower position and coinciding with said tapered outer surface when said plungers are in upper position, an annular packing compression ring disposed above said bowl and secured to the upper ends of said plungers for movement therewith, an annular compressiblevpacking ring disposed above said compression ring, a packing abutment ring disposed above said compressible packing ring and fastening means slidably received in apertures in said compressible packing ring and said compression ring and securing said abutment ring to said bowl, whereby with said device received on a well casing and upon downward movement of said casing, the tapered exterior surfaces on said plungers will engage the tapered seating surface on said head to hold said compression ring and said compressible packing ring against further downward movement, said abutment ring will move downwardly to compress said compressible packing ring into sealing engagement with said casing, said tapered outer surface will move into engagement with said tapered seating surface and said slips will move downwardly and inwardly to grip said casing and support the same in said head.

4. A well casing support and packing device comprising aslipvbowl composed of a plurality of arcuate segments, said segments providing an upper cylindrical portion, a lower cylindrical portion of reduced diameter and a tapered outer surface connecting said upper portion and said lower portion, said tapered surface being complementary to a tapered seating surface on a well casing head to support said bowl in said head, a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined internal surfaces on said segments, a plurality of easing engaging and supporting segmental slips disposed in said bowl, each slip having a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined external surfaces slidably engaging said internal surfaces to move said slips inwardly upon downward movement of said slips relative to said bowl and serrated internal casing engaging surfaces on said slips, an axially disposed groove in the outer surface of each bowl segment, said groove extending through said upper portion, said tapered outer surface and into said lower portion, a plunger slidably disposed in each groove, a tapered exterior surface on each plunger disposed outwardly of said lower portion when said plungers are in lower position and coinciding with said tapered outer surface when said plungers are in upper position, an annular packing compression ring disposed above said bowl and secured to the upper ends of said plungers for movement therewith, a convex upper surface on said compression ring, an annular compressible packing ring disposed above said compression ring, a packing abutment ring disposed above said compressible packing ring and fastening means slidably received in apertures in said compressible packing ring and said compression ring and securing said abutment ring to said bowl, a convex lower surface on said abutment ring, whereby with said device received on a well casing and upon downward movement of said casing, the tapered exterior surfaces on said plungers will engage the tapered seating surface on said head to hold said compression ring and said compressible packing ring against further downward movement, said abutment ring will move downwardly to compress said compressible packing ring into sealing engagement with said casing, said tapered outer surface will move into engagement with said tapered seating surface and said slips will move downwardly and inwardly to grip said casing and support the same in said head.

5. A well casing support and packing device comprising a slip bowl composed of a plurality of arcuate segments, said segments providing an upper cylindrical portion, a lower cylindrical portion of reduced diameter and a tapered outer surface connecting said upper portion and said lower portion, said tapered surface being complementary to a tapered seating surface on a well casing head to support said bowl in said head, a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined internal surfaces on said segments, a plurality of casing engaging and supporting segmental slips disposed in said bowl, each slip having a plurality. of downwardly and inwardly inclined external surfaces slidably engaging said internal surfaces to move said slips inwardly upon downward movement of said slips relative to said bowl and serrated internal casing engaging surfaces on said slips, an axially disposed groove in the outer surface of each bowl segment, said groove extending through said upper portion, said tapered outer surface and into said lower portion, a plunger slidably disposed in each groove, a tapered exterior surface on each plunger disposed outwardly of said lower portion when said plungers are in lower position and coinciding with said tapered outer surface when said plungers are in upper position, an annular packing compression ring disposed above said bowl and secured to the upper ends of said plungers for movement therewith, an annular compressible packing ring disposed above said compression ring, a packing abutment ring disposed above said compressible packing ring and fastening means securing said abutment ring to said bowl, whereby with said device received on a well casing and upon downward movement of said casing, thetapered exterior surfaces on said plungers will engage the tapered seating surface on said head to-hold said compression ring and said compressible packing ring against further downward movement, said abutment ring will move downwardly to compress said compressible packing ringinto sealing engagement with said casing, said tapered outer surface will move into engagement with said tapered seating surfaceaud said slips will movedownwardly and inwardly to grip said casing and support the same in said head.

6, A-well casing support and packing device comprising a slip bowl composed of a plurality of arcuate segments, said segments providing an upper cylindrical portion, a lower cylindrical portion of reduced diameter and a tapered outer surface connecting said upper portion and said lower portion, said tapered surface being complementary to a tapered seating. surface on a well casing head to supportsaid' bowl and saidhead, a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined internal surfaces on said segments, a plurality of easing engaging and supporting segmentalslipsdisposed in saidbowl', each slip having a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclined external surfaces slidably engaging. said internal surfaces to move said slips inwardly upon downward movement of said slips relative to said bowl and serrated internal casing engaging surfaces on said slips, an axially disposed groove in the outer surface of. each bowl segment, a plunger slidably disposed in each groove, a tapered exterior surface. on each plunger disposed outwardly of said lower portion whensaid plungers are in lower position and coinciding with. said tapered outer surface when said plungers are inupper position, *a packing compression ring dis- .posed above said bowl. and secured to the upper ends of said' plungers for movement therewith, a compressible packing ring disposed above. said. compression ring, a packing abutment. ring. disposed above said compressible packing ring and fastening means securing said abutment ringto said" bowl, whereby with said device received on a well casing and upon downward movement of said casing, the tapered exterior surfaces; on said plungers will engage the. tapered:- seating surface on said head. to hold: said compression. ring and said. compressible packing ring against further downward movement, said abutment ring will move downwardly to compress said compressible packingring into sealing. engagement with said casing, said tapered outer surface will move into engagement with said tapered seating surface and said. slips will move downwardly and inwardly to grip said casing and support the same in said head.

7.- Awell'casing support and packing device comprising a slip bowl composedof a plurality of arcuate segments, said. segments'providing an uppercylindrical portion, a lower cylindrical portion of. reduced. diameter and a tapered outer surface-connectingsaid upper portion and said lower portion, said tapered. surface being complementary to a tapered'seating'surface on a well casing. head to supportsaid. bowl and said head, a downwardly'and inwardly inclinedinternal surface; on said segments, a plurality of. casing engaging and supporting segmental slips disposed in said bowl, each slip having a downwardly and inwardly inclinedexternal surface. slidably engaging said internal surface to move said internal slips inwardly upon downward movement of said slips relative to said bowl andserrated internal casing engaging surfaces on said slips, anaxially disposed groove on the outer surface on each bowl segment,'a plunger slidably'disposed in each groove, a tapered exterior surface on eachplunger disposed outwardly of said'lower portion when said plungers are inqlowerposition and coinciding with" said" tapered outer surface when said plungers are in upper position, a packing compression ring disposed above said bowlandsecured to-the upper ends of said plungers formovementtherewith, a' compressible packing ring disposed above said compression ring; a packing abutment ring disposed above said compressible packing ring and fasteningmeans securing said abutment ring'to said bowl, whereby with said devicereceived on a well casing and upon-downwardmovement of said casing, the tapered exterior surfaces on said plungers will engage the tapered seating surfaces on said headto-hold said compression ring-and said compressible packing ring against further downward movement, said abutment ring will move downwardly to compress'said' compressible packing ringinto sealing engagement with said casing, said tapered outer surface will move into engagement with said tapered seating surface and said slips will move downwardly and inwardly to grip said casing and support the same in said head.

8, A- well". casing support and packing device com"- prising aslip: bowl composed of a plurality of arcuate segments; said" segments providing an upper cylindrical portion, a lower. cylindrical portion of reduced diameter and a tapered outer surface connecting said upper portion and said lower portion, said tapered surface being complementary to a tapered seating surface on a well casing head to support said bowl in said head, a downwardl'yand inwardly inclined internal surface on said segments, a plurality of casing engaging and supporting segmental slips disposed in said bowl, each slip having a: downwardly and inwardly inclined external surface slidably engagingsaid internal surface to move said slips inwardly upon-downward movement of-said slips'relative to said bowl andcasing engaging and gripping surfaces on said: slips, an axially disposed groove in the outer surface of. each bowl segment, a plunger slidably disposed in each groove, a-tapered exterior surface on each plunger disposed outwardly of said lower portion when said plungers are in lower position and coinciding with said tapered outer. surface when said plungers are in upper POSltlOllyflPflCkll'lg compression ring disposed above said bowl and secured to the upper ends of said'plungers for movement therewith, a compressible packing ring disposed: above said compression ring, a packing abutment ring disposed above said compressible packing ring and fastening means securing said abutment ring to said bowl, whereby with said device received ona well' casing and upon downward movement of; said casing, the tapered exterior'surf'aceson:said plungers willengage the tapered seating surface on said head to hold said compression ring and: said'compressible packing ring against further downwardmovement, said. abutment ring will move downwardly to i compress said compressible. packing ring into sealing'engagement with saidcasing, said tapered outer surfacetvvill moveinto engagement with said tapered seating surfacesand said slips' will move downwardly andinwardly to grip said casing and support'the samein said hea'dz References ('litedzinthe file of this patent UNITED- STATES PATENTS 1,834,190 Timbs Dec; 1,. 1931' 2,009,989 Begg July 30,1935 2,284,983 Minor June 2, 1942 2,568,581? Gram Sept. 18, 1-951 4 Min-rm. 

